Infant chair having a reclinable back



Aug. 2, 1960 s. A. DAVIS INFANT CHAIR HAVING A RECLINABLE BACK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 19, 195'? Aug. 2, 1960 s. A. DAVIS INFANT CHAIR HAVING A RECLINABLE BACK 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 19, 1957 wvavme 5mm 57/4 pAl/IS K gag/4M2 HTTORNF) INFANT CHAIR HAVING A RECLINABLE BACK Shirley A. Davis, 1567 Euclid Ave., St. Paul, Minn.

Filed Nov. 19, 1957, Ser. No. 697,362

4 Claims. (Cl. 15'5152) The present invention relates to novel chairs having reclinable backs for infants, wherein high stability against tipping is present irrespective of the angle of reclination of the back of the chair. Due to its reclining back and its high stability against tipping, the chairs hereof have particular utility as bathing chairs for infants.

In the past, various chairs have been devised especially for infants. One type consists of those having tiltable or reclinable backs; and which must be stabilized from tipping through being attached to heavily stabilized supporting members. Another type consists of lightly constructed chairs of rather simple design which merely are set against and/or upon a surface and rely for their stability against tipping upon their own design, and upon the types of surfaces upon which are against which they are placed. The present invention is directed to the latter type. One of the most successful prior art infant chairs or seats of this type is of the type described and claimed in Oullette Patent No. 2,324,421, granted July 13, 1943, on application filed March 23, 1939. The chair described in this patent consists basically of a seat rigidly aflixed to a back. Side members are adhered to the back and seat and, with securing straps serve to secure the infant in the seat. The side members extend below the base and taper upwardly toward the back such that when the chair is set upon a surface, the back is tilted slightly olf the perpendicular.

One of the primary disadvantages of prior art structures of the type just described resides in that in order to recline the chair in order to allow the infant more nearly to lie on its back, the seat must correspondingly be tipped up. The result is that the infants feet and legs are suspended in the air nearly at or above the level of the infants head. A further disadvantage of such structures derives from the necessity of propping them with pillows, cushions, etc., at the desired angle. Without such support for the back, the chair quickly falls over upon any sudden lurch or movement by the infant.

The present invention provides a chair for infants which avoids these and many other disadvantages inhering in prior art structures. My novel chair, though simply and lightly constructed, is provided with a tiltable back whereby the back can be set or adjusted to several angles of reclination with respect to the seat. Yet no external.

support, other than the surface upon which the chair rests, is necessary to prevent the chair from tipping in response to sudden moves on the part of the infant seated therein. Novel means are provided by which the back and base are hingedly associated whereby, when the back is raised or lowered from the initial position, the infant is free of danger of being pinched as it lies or sits unclothed in the chair, for example, while the infant is being bathed.

A full understanding of my invention, and of the manner in which the aforementionedand additional objects and advantages are attained will become apparent asthe description of an illustrative embodiment proceeds. In

. of said extremity of the seat-thereby to define with the the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to corresponding parts in the several views;

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation of the chair of Figure 1 with the cushion removed;

Figure 3 is an elevational view, partly in section, taken from the rear of the chain of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view in section taken along the lines 4- 4 of Figure 3, and

Figure 5 is a partial side view of the base member 0 the chair shown in Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, my novel chair which advantageously but not necessarily is formed from plastic material, e.g. polystyrene, has a base 10 of generally rectangularshape containing opposed sides 11 and 12, and opposed ends 13 and 14. Supporting flanges 15, 16, 17,

and 18 extend outwardly about the base from the underedge of sides 11 and 12 and ends 13 and 14, respectively, and perpendicularly thereto. The under surfaces of said flanges lie in a common plane and serve stably to support the base 10 and chair in at least four point suspension when the latter is set upon a surface, such as on a table, in a sink, etc. With particular reference to Figure 2, the forward portion of the upper surface of the base 10 forms a seat 19. Said seat 19 is upwardly curved toward the forward end 20 and the rearward end 21 thereof, with the lowest point 22 positioned just rearwardly of the center of the seat 19 and at about the center of the base 10. Thus is defined a seat having a curvature which conforms with the rear quarters of an infant. Preferably, the low point 22 of the seat extends almost to the plane defined by'supporting flangesllS, 16, 17 and 18. In this fashion, the seat has an extremely low center of gravity. The infant always tends to slide to this low point 22, irrespective of the slope of reclination of the back of the chair.

The entire seat 19 lies within the rectangle defined by the side flanges 15, 16, 17 and 18 and Well forward of rear flange 17. That is to say, the seat lies within the polygon defined by the flanges, i.e. the points of support, and Well forward of the rearward flange. This feature, and the low center of gravity of the seat are important factors in the surprising stability against tipping which my chair has proven to have.

The sides 11 and 12 of the base 10 extend upwardly beyond the seat 19 to define arms 23 and 24 respectively.

At their forward ends these arms merge with the forward will be seen from Figure 5, the arms 23 and 24 extend rearwardly beyond the seat 19 toward the rear of the base It) where they curve downwardly at 25 in convex curvature to merge generally with the rearward end 13 of the base 10.

Referring again most particularly to Figure 2, the rearward end 21 of the seat 19 (i.e. the upper surface of the base 10) at its extremity curves sharply downwardly. A laterally extending ribor ridge 29 is defined in the upper surface of the base 10 a short distance rearwardly latter, a lateral groove 30. In the embodiment shown, the ridge 29 terminates laterally at its ends short of side members 23. and 24 to facilitate the removal of water collecting in the groove.28 during a bathing operation.

For reasons to appear shortly, it will observed that the groove 30 also is disposed within the rectangle de- Patented Aug. 2, 1960 3 fined by the sideflanges 15' and 16 and forward of the rearwardflange'l7. Thus said groove 30 also lieswithin the polygon defined by the supporting members of the base 10.

To the rear of, and spaced from, the ridge 29' is'a laterally extending rib 31, which isdefined in part by the end 130E the base 10. The function of this rib is mainly to reinforce the'rear portion of the seat against twisting. Such reinforcing is particularly helpful when my infant chair is fabricated from plastic sheet materials. The'cente'r of the rib 31$ (Figure 3) is recessed at 32 to permit easy removal ofwat'er which might otherwise collect in 'front' of the rib 31 or ridge 30. During removal, water flows from the groove 30 around the ends of ridge 29' across in front of rib 3 1 and out} through recess 32.

At a position generally above the groove 30 and to the'rear'ofseat 1'9, each 'ofthe'a'rms 23- and 24 is provided' with 'an' arcuate opening 33 extending laterally therethrough (Figure The arcuat e shape of said openings 33 is defined by a radius having a center at the point where the extension of an imaginary line passing along the bottom of groove 30 passes through arms 23 and 24'. Threespaced' notches 34, 35, and 36, are also defined identically in the curved edges 25 of each arm 23 and 24.

A reclin'able back member 40, shown in Figures 1-4, is associated with the base member in my novel infant chair. Said back member contains a panel 41, and side members 42 and 43 extending along the lateral edges of and perpendicularly with respect to the panel 41. Said side members limit the lateral movement of an infant seated in the chair. "Where the chair is fashioned from plastic'sheet material, such that the entire back member 40-is comprised of a single drawn or molded sheet for convenience 'of strength and aestheticism, the side mem bers 42 and 43 preferably each consist of a forwardly extending member 44 and a rearwardly extending member 45, these being joined at 46. The members 45-ex;tend

for a' greater distance than the corresponding portion of member 45' such that they protrude rearwardly ofthe panel 41. a v

Extending rearwardly from, and conforming in shape with, the upper edge of the panel 41. is a top stiffening member 47. This member at its lateral extremities joins at an indefinite and curved juncture the members 45. The forward edges of the side members 42 and 43 curve rearwardly at their upper ends to'ward panel 41, short of the upper end of'the latter. Thus room is allowed for unlimited movements-of the headv and shoulders of the. in fant seated/in the chair. of'the upper edge of the panel 41 (and therewith mem ber 47) may contain a depression 48 which allows for more latitude in the movement of the head.

ly perpendicularly with respect to the lateral edges of the back member 4h; The lower end of the forward edge 46, where the members 44 and 45 (forming side members 42 and. 43) join, terminates short of the lower end 49 (Figures 1 and 3)v whereby the members 44 and 45 form a notch 56. Thus the back member 40 can be placed in'position with respect to the base 10 with the lower edge 46 of panel 41 bearing against the surface of groove 30, and with the raised portions of arms 23 and 24 extending into the spaces definedby notches 50 in side members 42 and'43 respectively.

Defined in the members 44 and 45 in each of side members 42'arid 43'are circular openings 51 which align witharcuateopenings- 33 in arms-22 and 23 when the back member4 is in position, as shown, with its lower edge 46 bearing against the surface of. groove 30 'ofthe base 10'. Pin's'52 extend through said. circular openings 51" and arcuat'e'openings 33 th'ereb'yto retain the back member 49 in pivotal-relation.withthe base 10. When the. back. member 4tl -is pivoted about the juncture be- Similarly, the center portion l tween the lower edge 46 and groove 30, the pins 52-slide in the arcuate openings 33. The length of each of the said openings 33 is such that the back member 40 is permitted to pivot from a position nearly perpendicular with respect to the surface upon which the chair'is placed to a reclined position nearly parallel thereto.

The angle of reclination of the back 46 is controlled by an elongate bar 53 which is" placed manually with its ends resting in aligned pairs of notches 34, or 36. Thenas an infant seated inthe ehair'leafis'againsfthe back, the latter is pivoted until-the rear surface of the panel 41 bears against the bar 53. For example, where it is desired that back member remainneany perpendicular with respect to the seat 19,. the bar 53 is placed in notches 34 as shown in Figure 2. Where it is desired that the back be disposed at an angle of approximately 135 degrees with respect to the seat as shown by the broken line at 54, such that the infant will be supported in 'a semi-pronepo's'ition, the bar 53 is placed in notches 351 Or where it is'desired' that the infant'be supported in a prone position, such as shown by the broken lines" at 55, the bar 53' is placed in notches 36.

The bar 53 atits center is aflixed' to one end of a stretchable spring '56 which in' turn is fastened to the base IOat its opposite end 57. Thespring 56 is so positioned with" respect to the base 10 so that it is stretched to about the same length irrespective into which of the notch'es 34, 35," or 36 the bar 53 is'inserted, this being:

by the bar, o'ncepositioned inapa'ir of notches, will remain against the weight of the infant leaning against the back member until removed. As can be seen from Figure 3, the recess 32 in back 10' provides easy access for altering the position of the bar 53. z

I have found that in my novel chair there is virtually no danger that the infant seated therein will be pinched should the angle of reclination of the back be altered; This is due to the very'slight displacement of the back which occurs adjacent the seat when the former is pivoted. As mentioned previously, the rearward portion 21 at the rear of the seat 19 causes the'weight of the infant in the chair to be centered well forward ofthe rear thereof. This combined with the position at which the back 40 joinsthe base,i.e. well forward of the rear of. the base cause forces applied by the infant in lean-' ing against the back actually tend to cause the chair to pivot forwardly. Hence,,the'chair is stable from tip ping even when the back is fully reclined; These several features, as well as other unique characteristics'of my novel chair, render the same especiallyruseful for use in bathing infants. In so doing, the chair may be set ina sink, tub,,etc., the back set at the desired angle of reclination, and the infant bathed. My invention,- thus at least in large part, obviates necessity of'the bulky bathinette; only a sink of conventional size being necessary in which to bathe an infant. I

Where desired strapscan be utilized to facilitatesup porting and retaining the infant in my chair. For example, a'belt 60 having a buckle 61 on one end nc anfbe slipped through apertures 62 in the side members 42 and 43. The belt can be positioned so as to support the infant around'the'chest. A strap 63 having a buckle" 64c-an extend through apertures 65 intheforward end' of the'base 10. This strap 63 can'then extend between the infants legs and can be fastened inplace about thebelt 60; Also, and particularly where'tmy chair is beingemployed as 'a general utility chair, in which to allow ari'infant to" sit or'lie and sleep, 'etc., apad 66 can be fastened to the back or seat or both, if such is de sired. The pad is .securedto the backnear the top thereof with a tie' Stri1g*67, as shownin Figure 3, the string extendingrthrough apertures. 68 in the panel 41 and being tied behind the rear surface of the latter. Similarg 1y, a tie string is employed to secure the pad to the base near the forward end thereof, and, if desired, toward the place near the junction of the base and back where the pad folds.

Having now described my invention with the aid of a preferred illustrative embodiment, it is to be understood that it is not my intention to be limited thereto. Rather, my invention is to be defined in accordance with the specification taken as a whole, including the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a chair having a reclinable back for infants, a seat associated with a back, said seat having side arms and a lateral groove immediately adjacent and below the rearward end thereof, opposed arcuate openings in said arms above said groove, said openings being defined by a radius having a center approximately at the point where an imaginary line passing along the bottom of said groove passes through said arms, said back having side members and being disposed with its bottom edge in said groove,-apertures defined in said side members in alignment with said arcuate openings, a pin extending through the aligned aperture and opening in the side arm and side member on each side of said chair thereby aflixing said back for pivoting about the abutment between said bottom edge and said groove, and means for retaining the back at various angles of reclination with respect to said base.

2. A chair having a reclinable back for infants, comprising a base having means for supporting said base in at least four point suspension, a seat having a low center of gravity defined in said base within the polygon defined by said points of suspension, a lateral groove defined in said base within said polygon immediately adjacent and below the rearward end of said seat, said groove extending continuously and substantially entirely along the full width of said seat, a back member pivotally associated with said base with its lower end resting in said groove, means for retaining said back member in said groove while allowing said back member to pivot about the point of abutment between the lower edge thereof and the surface of said groove, and means for retaining said back member at various angles of reclination with respect to said base.

3. A chair having a reclinable back for infants, comprising a base having bearing members on the underside thereof for supporting said chair on a surface in at least four point suspension, a seat within the polygon defined by said points of suspension, said seat having a low central portion and sloping upwardly at the forward and rearward ends thereof to define. a curvature generally conforming with the hind quarters of an infant seated thereon, and a lateral groove defined in said base member within said polygon immediately adjacent and below 6 the rearward end of said seat, said groove extending centinuously and substantially entirely along the full width of said seat, a back member associated with said base positioned with its lower end resting in said groove, means retaining said back member in said position while allowing said back member to pivot about the point of abutment between the lower edge thereof and the surface of said groove, and means for retaining said back member at various angles of reclination with respect to said base.

4. A chair having a reclinable back for infants comprising: a generally rectangular shaped base member having opposed sides and ends, flanges extending outwardly from the underedge of each of said sides and ends, saidfianges defining a plane and serving to support said chair against a planar surface, a seat in the upper surface of said base, said seat having a low central portion and sloping upwardly at the forward and rearward ends thereof to define a curvature generally conforming with the hind quarters of an infant seated thereon, side arms on said base member extending along each side of and rearwardly beyond said seat, said side arms curving downwardly in convex curvature in the rearward ends thereof to merge generally with the rearward end of said base, a plurality of aligned opposed notches in said curved rearward ends, a lateral groove defined in said base immediately adjacent and below the rearward end of said seat but well forward of the rearward flange of said base, opposed arcuate openings in said arms above said groove, said openings having a curvature being defined generally by a radius having a center approximately at the point where an imaginary line passing along the bottom of said groove passes through said arms, a 'back'member pivotally associated with said base memher and being disposed with its bottom edge in said groove, said back member having side members, apertures defined in said side members in alignment with said arcuate openings, 9. pin extending through the aligned aperture and opening in the side arm and side member on each side of said chair thereby aflixing said back for pivoting about the abutment between said bottom edge in said groove, and a spring retained bar means positionable with its ends in said opposed notches for retaining said back member at various angles of reclination with respect to said base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 181,700 Armitage Dec. 17, 1957 289,115 McDonald Nov. 27, 1883 513,735 Russell Ian. 30, 1894 2,450,654 Gleitsman Oct. 5, 1948 ,735,480 Mead Feb. 21, 1956 

